Professor Ian Woodhead is Lincoln Agritech’s Chief Scientist and Group Manager of the Lincoln Technology Group. With almost 40 years’ experience in sensor development, his main research interests are measuring the broadband dielectric properties of composite materials including water content, physical measurements using microwave and mm waves, and high speed electronics.
Professor Woodhead has created a number of globally-marketed sensors, including devices to evaluate the performance of electric fences and the Aquaflex electronic soil moisture sensor, sold by Streat Instruments, that has paved the way for more efficient irrigation systems and allowed farmers to use water more sustainably.
He is a member of IEEE and the Antennas and Propagation, portfolio leader and management team member for the National Science Challenge - Science for Technological Innovation, Chair of New Zealand Electronics Institute Canterbury, board member of Lincoln University’s Centre for Soil and Environmental Quality, and editorial board member of Biosystems Engineering (Elsevier). Woodhead has been an advisor to and is a regular assessor for MBIE Science, assessor for the French National Research Agency, and technical/organising committee member and session chair of ISEMA, IEEE I&M, ICST and TDR international conferences.
Professor Woodhead was awarded the Royal Society Te Aparangi’s Scott Medal in 2017; the engineering science and technology award was presented in recognition of the wide range of sensors he has developed for the agricultural and environmental sectors.
He has particular interests in:
- Sensors, especially using electromagnetic fields
- Electromagnetic modelling
- Time domain reflectometry
- High speed electronics
